Types of mounts...

[frostychic]

Hi

I was so excited to begin reading in this section. I've got a handful of orchids here in Indiana that I've been caring for since spring of '08. I've also got a handful of orchids in Jamaica that I "inherited" and many are growing on trees. I've been in awe of the ones in JA that are on the trees and have paid attention to what they like and how they are growing...

When I started reading this section on mounting I was thinking... oh I can't wait to mount something of my own... then looking at photos and such I realize that I've already mounted at least one phal... I used tree limb that had fallen to the ground... it has a quirky shape to it and the middle of it is hollowed out. I put moss & charcoal in the belly, place the Phal there... then proceded to make a wire cradle that it hangs with... I'll get a photo to post. Well, the phal is doing really well, has produced 3 new leaves since I put it in this new home... plus the bloom stalk has produced a kiki without any boost from me. This Kiki has 2 great roots that are probably nearing 4" in length and I'm thinking it's time to take it off of it's mother plant.

It is very cool to see the roots flatten out over the wood... so I'm going to technically call this a "mount" rather than a "pot".... hehehee

I've got some bark that is incredibly thick and burled with lots of texture to it... we live in an area with lots of woods... lots of great limestone too so I have lots of interesting and very natural looking stuff to use to mount.

So my question comes to what to do about which mount to choose? Space limitations are what really kill me so I was thinking that I might mount onto something flat that can be hung from the wall...

I found (at the thrift store last night) the cutest little round wicker basket. It is unpainted but I'm not sure if it is dyed or not... I've had it soaking in water overnight and I keep changing the water as it turns a yellowish-gold color. I was intrigued with this basket because it has a unique look to it. It is mostly flat, with a round & braided rim that is "open" in the middle (the rim is open that is ... so it looks to me like all these braided open spots would be great for roots to grow & grab)... I'm wondering if anyone has had any issues with toxcicity to the plants when mounting on something man made such as this basket? I'm going to continue to soak it in water until I see the yellowish-gold tint of the water stay clear... I'm calling it wicker but it has more of a heavy straw look to it. Because of the round rim I can also see where I can easily tuck some spagh into that area so that moisture rentention is added...

I live in Southern Indiana so humidity is sometimes an issue but I do spray everyday... (I've got unpotted vandas too so I spray them daily).

Would love to read your input regarding toxcicity (sp?) ... can't wait to get another mount going either!!! Pictures soon come

[Brooke]

The basket sounds intriguing but if used as a mounting material it will degrade rapidly from the moisture and disintegrate. You could use the basket to display a blooming orchid(s) in it's own pot and remove the plant for watering.

I've used baskets outside for annuals and by the end of the growing season, they are mush :>) They make unique displays but new baskets are required each growing season.

Brooke

[patticake]

Hi Frosty! I don't want to burst your bubble, but I wouldn't use wicker for your mount. Here's a thread that was going a while back on the subject. Click---> Mounting on wicker baskets

Keep us posted on what you decide!

[frostychic]

Hi Brooke... I hadn't given thought to how quickly it would break down... thanks for bringing that to my attention...

Here is the hanging Phal that has the kiki...

I use well water from a handheld garden sprayer ... usually mist leaves along with spraying medium and roots... so my plants are water-spotty...

[frostychic]

Hi Patticake... bubble not too badly bursted. The basket was only $.99

[lmartiny]

I like Brooke's suggestion.

[kninum]

Your mount looks great- i would probably encourage the Keiki down to the far end of the log and let it's roots grab on around the little notch i can see in the picture. It looks like there might be enough room for the little darling.

Originally Posted by frostychic

Hi



I've got some bark that is incredibly thick and burled with lots of texture to it... we live in an area with lots of woods... lots of great limestone too so I have lots of interesting and very natural looking stuff to use to mount.

So my question comes to what to do about which mount to choose? Space limitations are what really kill me so I was thinking that I might mount onto something flat that can be hung from the wall...

being an (educated) geology nut and a stone carver, i considered using specially carved Soapstone to make a mount.....i then remembered that it is basically talc, and although it would probably stand up to the weathering, it would also expose my plant to a lot of leeching of minerals and 'salts'-----LIMEstone could fall into the same category-since organic decay creates Acids and limestone is very susceptible to acidic leeching. For stone i would stay with silicates , unless the natural habitat of the orchid is "salt" mineral rich. Pumice and Scoria are very pourous volcanic stones and probably good canidates for mounting. Pumice is also very light and a little bit brittle/soft so it can usually be manipulated fairly easily.


As for the Bark-it really depends on the type i would think-
we have red cedars all over out here, they have beautiful thick nubby bark......but it also decays very quickly so it would not be great for mounting.
I've heard of a lot of people using grapevine- some garden shops carry it, and so do Aquarium/reptile shops.
i've also heard of fern slab things (that are flat and could be wall mounted easily)-i think i have seen them for sale online.

[frostychic]

Alrighty then... I have totally dropped back and re-grouped in regards to mounting this keiki.

I have abandoned the wicker basket idea (and that's ok, really it is ) and was on the lookout yesterday while doing my outside chores.

We've got two areas on our farm in Indiana where we have a ground fed spring. One of these in particular is awesome in the winter while everything else is frozen up... it is not only flowing but often times it is a little steamy looking ... birds always are flocked around it and it grows beautiful green grass (and moss) all thru the dead of winter... well, yesterday I got to diggin around and decided to bring in some of the living moss... upon closer inspection I'd say it more resembles the growth of a tiny fern but it has a thin root bed that was comprised of something between sludge and dirt... and I was able to just "lift" it or skim it if you will... right off the flat rock it was on without really disturbing the moss. Don't know if this would/could technically be called "bog moss" so I'm just gonna call it living moss for now.

Then I proceeded to find two totally different rocks... one that I picked up (and in the end it is the one I've used to mount the moss & keiki to) was totally about it's color as I've always been a bit of a nut over rocks. It was a really lovely orangish-brown color... great oval and very smooth. I also found a wicked looking rock that has several deep crevices in it... upon closer inspection of it (after cleaning all the muck off it) I believe it is a fossilized piece of very large vertabra... very cool eye candy all by itself.

So then I took my bucket of goods into the house... washed and inspected and let them warm up to room temp... did some more research and decided...
... what the heck, I'm gonna try it.

Here is what I've done... I removed the keiki from the mother plant... thanks kninum for your suggestion to encourage it to grab hold at the other end of the original mount. That photo is deceiving because the stem the keiki was on was too far forward of the mount & to bend it back would have disturbed the base plant too much, plus it would have damaged the stalk so I just removed it.

I was originally going to mount the keiki onto the wicked looking fossilized rock with all the nooks and crannies but I also wanted to implement the living moss and since it all seems to be growing on smooth surface rocks I decided to "wrap" it on/around the top of the smooth goldish color rock. I did some tests of stacking the smooth rock on top of the fossil rock and lo & behold I found a great way to stack the two without any rocking or teetering... I even added a little living moss to the lower (fossil) rock where the water runs down from the top smooth mount.

I'm sorry I cannot get a photo to you at this time as Mr. Frosty just left outta town this morning and wouldn't ya know it... he has the camera.

You'll just have to picture it in your minds eye for now... a smooth and egg shaped rock with a full pelt of living moss draped over the top of it... this rock sitting atop a totally wicked looking fossil rock with nooks n crannies to catch & hold moisture from when I spray daily. This whole setup is located about 8 inches below a West facing window where my Vandas are hanging above it... so when I spray the vandas the whole window & casement becomes humid for a couple of hours.

This keiki has been "tied" to the top of the smooth rock and moss pelt with a strong waxy sewing type thread (sorry... no fishing line handy today) by using the piece of stalk that I left on the keiki to use as anchor.

Sooooooooo... exciting Can't wait to see the progress and hopefully it will be progress and not progress... lol.

If you're interested, I'll keep you posted and soon as the camera (and husband) return home I'll upload a photo or two...

Wish me luck!!!

[frostychic]

Ok... here are a few photos of my new mounted keiki. Hoping for the best that it works... so far so good.

Not a dime in the project and if I lose the keiki I'll be but I guess I'll have to learn by trial and error.

So far the living moss is still living... we have well water so no issue there... we don't have forced air heat so that probably helps me to keep my humidity levels up in the bay where these are located...

Time will tell... tic-tock-tic-tock

[katrina]

I think it's very pretty!


Definitely....keep us posted on it's progress.

[Bird Song Farm]

It looks GREAT! Only way to find out if something is going to work is to try it. Keep us posted...........
Al

[trinigirl]

That looks like a really nice mount. I have read that the living moss makes plants grow better quicker? I would love to be able to use some living moss on plants without roots. I am anxious to see the progress on this plant.

[lmartiny]

Nice mount. I'm a rock nut too and envious of areas of the country where they are all over the place.

[davetheorchidaddict]

Looks nice Frosty, Southern Indiana has a lot of limestone so I would check on the type of rock it is and I know that there a lot of fossel plants down that way too so you could be mount an orchid on a plant. I always mount my Phal's with roots at the top because that is the way they grow in nature. Good luck I would like to hear how it does, as one who mounts about everything I am always looking for new things to mount on.

[frostychic]

Ok... the subject above is still doing well. I'll have to catch a new photo of it in the daylight to share with you. The roots have both grown some and the moss is still living although not as nicely as it was when I collected it.

But here are some other photos of some of the mounts I have in Jamaica... some have been there for some time and some I did in April 2008... a couple more I did when I was there late Nov. early Dec. (just got home earlier this week).

Of course the growing conditions are totally favorable for this kind of mounting and this is what got me so fascinated with orchids to begin with...

I'll start with the "oldest" mounts first... this first photo has been on this location of the tree for quite a while... I know for sure it has been there between 4-6 years and probably before that it was on a different tree in the yard.

This tree is a neesberry tree and it is currently home to 4 vandas, 2 species of Cattleya (I think they are cattleya but would like some help with that)... really believe they are a species because they grow wild everywhere in JA and those all look the same with the same bright pink small bloom that seems to be non-stop and never ending. Here it is on the neesberry...

[frostychic]

Here is another "ultimate mount" and again it is the same species that I just asked "what is it?" above... these plants are not on the same tree... these are growing on the Guango tree and have been there a long, long time... like 13 years or more I'd say... see the one in bloom? We don't cut the bloom stalks... the ants are always all over these on the guango tree... I've watched them "working" the buds much like ants work the buds of peonie bushes in the spring in Indiana... they must be sticky or sweet or both... apparantly the ants are helpful to them as they look healthy and are constantly getting larger, falling off and getting re-attached by our gardner.

Because these particular kind are so plentiful if you are out in the bush it seems that most Jamaicans don't prefer them... but instead look for more exotic (hahhahhaa, that's funny) types of orchids... funny because an orchid of any kind growing on a tree and blooming IS exotic to me, lol.

This is the only grouping of orchids on this particular Guango tree... all the other photos are either of the plants on or under the neesberry tree... some mounted, some hanging.

[frostychic]

This photo is of a strap leaf vanda that I mounted in April 2008 to the Neesberry tree... it has really caught a good grip and I think it's pretty cool the way it is growing up like a corkscrew rather than with leaves on the left and right side of the stalk...

[frostychic]

These next two strap leaf vandas sit just to the right of the little one I just showed you. I only just mounted the next two when I was there last week. One I removed the plastic basket and then mounted it in the crook of the tree... I used catfish line to tie it and since there was a blemish on the tree just beneath it it has lots of places to take hold...

The other strap leaf I left in the plastic because of the way I mounted it. I needed the pot to give it the stability until the roots take hold completely and then I will attempt to snip away the plastic pot... I found good ole wire snips to do this effortlessly. The one in the pot is ruby gem X peggy foo and the one that I took out of the pot (crook of the tree) is hmmm... cannot remember at the moment darn it.

[frostychic]

This next one is a brassavola (did I spell that right?) I had originally thought it was a "lady of the night" but upon closer inspection I noticed that it has a distinctly light lime green tint to the flowers and I think the lady of the night is white? Anyway... this plant has been at this house for a long long time and it could definately be a species.

It was originally in a very large basket hanging from a tree but the limb broke during a hurricane over this summer and I asked a friend to see to it for me until I could get there... the basket is "with one" with the plant and so it has been gingerly placed in the fork of the tree... I'm going to leave it there for a bit to see if it does well as it seemed to have more late day sun than I think it will get in this location... it is blooming RIGHT NOW though so it can't be hatin it's new home too badly... here is a photo and since it will be attaching itself to the neesberry tree in this crotch of the tree then it is also a "mount".

This neesberry tree is being dubbed the orchid tree

[frostychic]

This is one of the species that I "saved" after it came off the same downed tree... it had originally been mounted on bamboo sticks (about the size of pencils in diameter) that were wired together to form a mount. They had been on it for a long time and the mount itself was done... decayed and the old roots that had called it home were totally white with what looked like white fungus on them... I had quite a suprise when I started to work on this number as it was FULL of large red ANTS (pronounced with an "h" on the front of it in Jamaica)...

Anyway... I soaked the sucker in a bucket of water for about a half hour and "encouraged" all the ants to take their baby pods and hit the perverbial road... I then mounted this species on the neesberry tree... it looks a bit sick so I'm not sure what will have happened to it when I return.

[frostychic]

Ok... the next photo is of a mount that I did this last week. Again it is with this same species (you see it's been in the yard a long time and as it grows and falls it keeps getting placed in different parts of the yard). This came off the tree that came down from the hurricane and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. I had asked that some of the larger wood branches that were cut from the downed tree be left in the yard and I used one that was approx. 2 ft. tall and hollow nearly the entire way down (it split off and opened up on the side just before it reached the "bottom" of the piece) anyway, I put some coconut husks and charcoal in there then I mounted this dude...

Again, is this a Cattleya or a Den

I really like this one and am anxious to see how it looks when I return... ants had already taken up residency and were busy working up and down the mount when I left for cooooold Indiana.

[frostychic]

Here are two little Phals that I mounted the same way as the last photo only in a shorter and more squat chunk of tree limb that had been cut... both are sitting under a tree right next to the neesberry tree so you can see them when you're at the concrete table...

Not sure if these little guys are gonna make it... they were in too heavy of a medium and so we'll see how they do with this transplant where I put them in loose bark and coconut husks along with some charcoal... all down inside this hollowed out log... again, there is air circulation in the log as it has a hole down low too.

The picture is a closeup and I'm hoping to see improvement when I return... even though you can see some good new root out of the Phal on the right... it was growing UP and out of the medium it was in... trying to breathe I'd say, lol.

[frostychic]

This photo is a "group" shot where you can see most of the mounts on the Neesberry... I don't think you can see the Brassalova or the species that I started with in the photos but you can see the Den that is hanging in the wire basket looking like "dreads"... it is about 3 years now that I've had it there and it seems to be loving it! You can also see the pot on the concrete table that has a tetetre vanda, a strap leaf vanda, a Cattleya and a Den growing in a grouping of large rocks with a very little charcoal and coconut husk...

It is a very peaceful location and I find myself there admiring the plants pretty often

[frostychic]

Here is an update photo on the Phal keiki that I mounted on the rock with living moss... I just took this photo today so it has been mounted for approx. 30 days (give or take).

There has been root growth on the largest of the two roots and just a tiny bit on the smaller root. The leaves have only grown slightly.

My gut tells me that I'll be moving this critter to a different mount.

The moss is holding tight in the majority of the surface area and seems to be healthy enough still over at least 2/3'rds of what I put there. I just don't think that over the long run this will be a good combination and instead am thinking about putting the living moss on the larger, fossil rock below because it has several deep crannies and is not a smooth surface rock like the egg shaped one that the Phal is on now... not sure though.

What do you think I should do? Comments welcome

[frostychic]

Just to clarify... the phal on the rock with living moss is one of my Indiana orchids. I don't have the pretty setting indoors that I have in Jamaica oh well...

Just for giggles... I'm gonna post a photo of the keiki when I first mounted it right next to today's photo...

Let's see if there is a noticeable difference.



The original mount photo is on the left and the photo from today is on the right.

[PhalPal]

Really, really nice mounts Frosty!!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
You might think about including your Jamaica outdoor growing space in the 'Growing Space 2' thread. It's always interesting to see how 'geeks from all over the world grow their orchids. You will have especially good insight because you live in two very different climates.

[davetheorchidaddict]

Frostychic, those are some interesting plants and mounts, I want to try mounting on some pumis from Oregon and see how it does for a plant. I like your willingness to try things, must be a Hoosier trate because I do the same thing. We may loose a few but we learn somthing every time we do it. Keep it up and keep us advised of how things are going with them.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by frostychic

...I just asked "what is it?"

The orchid you posted above:
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/att...mounts-023.jpg
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/att...mounts-022.jpg
is Broughtonia sanguinea.

[Orchidshade]

Does it matter what size an orchid is before you mount it? In my head im stuck on them having to be really small. I cant figure out if its a complicated process or simple.....Healthy orchid + chosen mount object + tying material+ tie it on and hope it stays eventually....? lol I dont know..... with watering...do you just mist or sumberge them once in a while?
Peace out Orchid Lovers.. <3

[PhalPal]

Mounting really is that simple!! Pick something and tie your orchid to it. I have very small species phals and large cattleya mounted and both do well.

About watering....you will get many different answers. First things first: what type of orchid are you planning to mount, what are you mounting it to, and what are your growing conditions??? i.e. do you grow under lights or outdoors???? (summer of course!)

[davetheorchidaddict]

Orchidshade, specific size for mounting? Remember that in the wild they are mounted as seedlings and live their entire lives mounted so I guess size does not matter. Go wild mounting and have fun.

[lmartiny]

I have now mounted two. They look so so. I only used ones I was willing to sacrafice for the cause. The first one is hanging in there and the phal is spiking. The second is brand new so don't know how it will take hold.
I also bought a couple mounted a few months ago. Some you soak and some you spray. It depends. I dunk the big one in the pool for want of a better way. Just not when the pool has been shocked. Not the best way I'm sure. I guess we'll see. Here are some older photos from late summer/fall.
purchased

home made, newly done with struggling phal

purchased

purchased

home made

If you scroll around, there have been several recent threads about mounts and other members have put together some very attractive mounts. (more so than mine) and you can get some ideas.

Lynne

[davetheorchidaddict]

Nice looking plants, the purchased ones look like some from Louis Del Favero's, I have one of those that I got there. He carries some good plants and I love going there, always come out with something(s) new. We have talked many times about mounting.

[Vida]

wow! is beautiful. very good idea.


[QUOTE=lmartiny;115939]

Attachment 16987 home made

[myorchid]

Wow! I love that last one, nicely done!

[lmartiny]

Thanks for the comments guys. Dave, I looked at the tags yesterday. It wasn't the same place. But now, as I write, I can't remember. Theyr'e in here somewhere, but not searching now. Everything is everywhere due to the cold snap.

[frostychic]

Imartiny those are beautiful... thank you for sharing those ideas!

I've been absent from this board for several months... been super busy with family things but still have been enjoying my orchids.

I recently re-vamped the 3 orchids mounted on the crooked branch... one of the previously applied Phals. bit the dust & I've replaced it with another "rescue" Phal. The keiki that is in the middle of the branch is off of my White Moon Phal. It was doing really well then all of a sudden dropped two leaves & I've taken it down & re-worked it's mount. It's got a 50/50 chance right now the way I see it of making it or not.

The bottom Phal is doing really well with lots of new root growth back toward the branch & working on pushing out it's second new leaf since mounting. I've been spraying the "back" portion of the mount for this bottom orchid in hopes to encourage the roots to grow in that direction... it's either coincidence or a good plan because that is indeed the way the new growth is headed... so exciting!!!

The thing I've learned in my short time of mounting orchids is that depending on how much work you must do to your plant in order to mount it (ie the difference between taking it completely out of or off of whatever you have it in now & applying it to your mount)... the less invasive it is to the orchid, the better the chances of success. I've learned a few things by trial & error with some inexpensive (& a couple of not so inexspensive) plants.

[frostychic]

I took my small Phal that is in a slat basket & turned it on it's side. It had pretty substantial root growth that had come out & around the wood slats so I know it had a "good hold" before I turned the basket on it's side.

It's getting along pretty well now, but I don't think the plant "liked it" at first. The change in the weight (I'm guessing) put it under some stress. I am finally seeing new leaf growth after 3-4 months of no root/leaf growth after I put it on it's side.

Hanging in the diamond shape is so pleasing to my eye... one of my favorites.

[frostychic]

So now on to my crown jewel... my V. Motes Indigo.

Got it March of 2008 & it was in a small plastic basket. I saw a photo of the bloom but have never seen or had it bloom. Last fall I decided to plant it in a pot with river rock, moss & bark.

I was worried at first that it was too "tight" & that the rocks should have been bigger for more air flow... I was worried, worried... worried

But then it started some new root growth (wwhheeeeeweee) & then a whole lotta root growth plus several new leaves. I think it's produced approx. 9 new leaves since last spring.

Well... I've got a spike

But I've been really unhappy with the pot it's in. The Vanda is sooooo leggy & it's gotten so tall that my stake isn't working properly & so I've been eyeing some pieces of wood that I picked up last winter for something just like this.

But that bloom spike... I know better... I really shouldn't do something with it while it's in spike/bloom.

[frostychic]

[PhalPal]

Originally Posted by frostychic

I took my small Phal that is in a slat basket & turned it on it's side. It had pretty substantial root growth that had come out & around the wood slats so I know it had a "good hold" before I turned the basket on it's side.
Hanging in the diamond shape is so pleasing to my eye... one of my favorites.

Excellent idea!!! I love phals in vanda baskets because the roots have such vivid imaginations. I'm going to hang a few this way, very pretty.
Sometimes if I have an orchid that is not very secure in a basket I will tie it down with this twine-looking wire stuck through the slats and under the moss. It doesn't show and gives me a little bit of piece of mind. (I have six cats with vivid imaginations, too!)

[frostychic]

Sssssooooooooooooo... I'm impatient. I couldn't wait. I saw some potential with a hollow tree branch & I made a decision.

The work that followed was minimal, yet it still required a hammer, wood chisel, cordless drill & bit... a good eye... & patience (oh boy, lookout).

Plus there was work to be done of the vanda. I sprayed it repeatedly every 10-15 minutes or so to get the roots as pliable as possible... being it is in a clay pot "soaking" the roots is near impossible unless it's by spraying. Once the roots are completely green & well soaked they will bend so much better without the breakage.

Still some work to be done on this piece... took the cord out from where I had drilled the hole thru the top as I will no doubt hang this mount when it has to come inside this fall... for now though, it is a table mount.

I just can't hardly wait till it blooms.

I'm so excited... & very pleased with my work. The really wonderful thing was that I did this late day. Even though you shouldn't water your vandas in the late afternoon or evening... it allowed it the cool time overnight with the roots being bent in new ways on this mount.... the following morning we had a rain shower for about 2 hours followed by a mild & overcast day...

PERFECT for this new mount as it kept the roots very pliable & the mild weather helped the plant with the minimal stress. I didn't "do" anything to this vanda other than wedge the clay pot down into the wood piece. I had to have it elevated because of the long roots that trail down below the bottom of the pot.

I bent several of the roots to the inside of the branch so that they can grab hold & stabalize the top of the vanda.

I guess this could technically be called a "mount"... no?

[frostychic]

Hi PhalPal... thanks!

When I got my first orchids... I put them all in baskets. I didn't have a clue what I was doing... I put that Phal in one, my Dends in baskets... my cattleya. They all really seemed to do well! I think it was a more fail safe plan (that occurred totally by accident) that I couldn't get them too wet. I lost some plants along the way but I've been really blessed to have several that are pleased with what I've offered them, hahahaa.

The basket being turned on it's side was also an accident... not planned (I wish I could honestly take credit for having "seen" that and decided to do it that way for the sake of the looks) but I needed to give that particular plant some breathing space a little lower than I had it hanging when I had the basket by all four corners... so I had that rod & it was a bit longer so I tried it... then I said, "mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... that looks nice"

Glad you like it too. And yes, those roots are such characters! It's fun to watch them weave in & out of the baskets. I get a real kick out of that.

[lmartiny]

Your log mount looks good. I also like the basket hanging by one loop.